Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Having a network of close relationships may reduce the risk of developing dementia. However, social exchange theory suggests that social interaction entails both rewards and costs. The effects of quality of close social relationships in laterlife on the risk of developing dementia are not well understood.

OBJECTIVE:

To investigate the effects of positive and negativeexperiences of socialsupport within key relationships (spouse or partner, children, other immediate family, and friends) on the risk of developing dementia in laterlife.

METHODS:

We analyzed 10-year follow up data (2003/4 to 2012/13) in a cohort of 10,055 dementia free (at baseline) core participants aged 50 years and over from the EnglishLongitudinalStudy of Ageing (ELSA). Incidence of dementia was identified from participant or informant reported physician diagnosed dementia or overall score of informant-completed IQCODE questionnaire. Effects of positive and negativeexperiences of socialsupport measured at baseline on risk of developing dementia were investigated using proportional hazards regression accommodating interval censoring of time-to-dementia.

RESULTS:

There were 340 (3.4%) incident dementia cases during the follow-up. Positivesocialsupport from children significantly reduced the risk of dementia (hazard ratio, HR = 0.83, p = 0.042, 95% CI: 0.69 to 0.99). Negativesupport from other immediate family (HR = 1.26, p = 0.011, CI: 1.05 to 1.50); combined negative scores from spouse and children (HR = 1.23, p = 0.046, CI: 1.004 to 1.51); spouse, children, and other family (HR = 1.27, p = 0.021, CI = 1.04 to 1.56); other family & friends (HR = 1.25, p = 0.033, CI: 1.02 to 1.55); and the overall negative scores (HR = 1.31, p = 0.019, CI: 1.05 to 1.64) all were significantly associated with increased risk of dementia.

CONCLUSION:

Positivesocialsupport from children is associated with reduced risk of developing dementia whereas experiences of negativesocialsupport from children and other immediate family increase the risk. Further research is needed to better understand the causal mechanisms that drive these associations.